Reflections on the First Week of Fall

      Spence and I celebrated the first days of fall with long-out-of-touch friends. Eric, Spence's elementary school buddy, and Eric's wife Kay arrived on the equinox. We took leisurely walks under blue skies. Tawny leaves speckled trees, crackled under our feet, and lined the banks of Deer Creek. A chipmunk eyed us while he sat on a log and munched an acorn. When we bent to examine hickory nuts, squirrels scolded. A tattered viceroy butterfly sunned on squash plants, and shiny black crickets hopped in the field. Asters, goldenrod, and hawkweed lined the road. The first daisy bloomed in Sister Loretta's memorial garden.

      Fat-cat George had a different way of celebrating. He stuck his head into the toy basket in search of a feathered catnip toy. To his surprise, the basket became a face-covering helmet. He shook his head till the basket clattered to the floor.

      We chuckled–just one of many laughs Spence, Eric, Kay, and I shared reminiscing about crayfish sales, incline rides, jazz concerts, first cars, and first dates. According to Jane Austen's character Mr. Elliot, we'd had the best company for the coming of fall–“. . . clever, well-informed people, who have a great deal of conversation. . .”